Healthy Homes Assessment Plimmerton

Rental Property Expert Advice

Healthy Homes Assessment Services

Did you be aware that the Healthy Homes Standards came into effective on July 1st, 2021? Landlords are now required to make sure their Plimmerton rental properties meet the minimum Healthy Homes Standards within 90 days of any new or renewed tenancy, and all private rentals are required to be completely compliant by 1 July 2024.

The areas covered in the Healthy Homes Standards are:

• Draught Stopping
• Heating
• Insulation
• Ventilation
• Moisture Ingress & Drainage

We can assess your rental property to determine whether it is in compliance with the NZ Healthy Homes and Residential Tenancy Acts requirements. After the assessment, we will advise you or your property manager about any tasks which needs to be completed and offer an evaluation report with all the necessary information for your Tenancy Agreement’s Healthy Home Statement of Compliance.

Failure to fulfill the requirements under the Healthy Homes Standards is a breach under the Residential Tenancies Act 1986, and any landlord found to not in compliance could face fines of as much as $7,200 and additional healthy homes connected fines.

Our company is fully independent assessors of rental properties, and are completely certified to assess each of Healthy Homes and Homefit.

Call Now (04) 280 6777

Rental Property Healthy Homes Fines

Fines for Failing to Comply

Beginning on July 1st, 2021, if a new, renewed or varied contract is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done by the end of 90 days.

As of 1st July 2021, when a new or renewed contract is signed on a Plimmerton rental property, all Healthy Homes compliance work must be done within 90 days.

Failure to adhere to one of the Healthy Homes Standards inside of the expected timeframe can result in the possibility of a fine up to $7200. Additionally, if a currently-in place Healthy Homes Statement of Compliance is not included within the new, renewed or revised tenancy contract, there could be an additional penalty or infringement fee.

Every tenant is entitled to request information regarding the Healthy Homes Standard and how they relate to the property they reside in. If the landlord or the property manager doesn’t supply the necessary information within 21 days of getting the notice, the tenant will receive an infringement notification and be fined up to $750.

Additionally, there is also a fine of as much as $900 for property owners or property managers that provide false or incorrect Healthy Homes Compliance Statement or any other information. The person responsible for this fine is the person who is named on the lease contract as the person renting the property which could be the name of the landlord as well as the property management company.

All the information on the Statement of Compliance needs to be correct when the tenancy contract is completed, and must be updated throughout the duration of the tenancy when any related work is completed.

It’s also crucial to remember that landlords who own multiple rental properties could face additional fines for non-compliance. The highest penalties are handed down for the most serious breaches, and landlords with at least six rental properties could be fined up to $50,000, or as high as $100,000 in hearing claims.

In the end, a failure to adhere to the Healthy Homes requirements can hit your wallet resulting in massive fines as well as still having to meet compliance. Do not risk your rental property Call us today and request a house inspection performed on your rental property.

Check out the complete details of details on Residential Tenancies Act landlords responsibilities.

Healthy homes matter

Why is Healthy Homes Compliance so important?

About 1 in 3 households in New Zealand and Plimmerton, and research has shown that these rental homes are likely to be colder, older, have less efficient heating, and generally are of lower quality than the homes of owners.

Damp, mouldy and cold houses can have negative health results, specifically for illnesses like colds, flu, asthma and cardiovascular conditions. In addition, people who report at least four major house quality problems often experience low life satisfaction and reduced psychological well-being.

The improvement in the standard of Plimmerton rental property will help tenants experience improved physical and mental health and reduce the interruption to learning, work and daily life because of diseases. Your investment will also be better secured from mildew, mould and damp , which means less maintenance costs in the long-term.

The Healthy Homes Standard is a list of the specific and minimum standards for heating, insulation, Ventilation, Moisture Ingress and Drainage, as well Draught stopping in Plimmerton rental properties.

Contact us now to discuss having a Plimmerton Healthy Home assessment on your rental property right now.

Unreasonable Gaps & Holes

Draught Stopping Plimmerton

Draughts may lead to lower temperatures in houses. A cold home costs more to heat, which completed jobs in wasting energy and resulting in higher bills.

If a draught could be felt through gaps that are too large or holes that it needs to be sealed.

What are unreasonable gaps and holes?

If you can feel external air entering or a clear draught from a gap or hole that is, it’s likely to be a gap or hole that needs sealing in any way. Large cracks and gaps should be permanently stopped. Cracks that are greater than 3mm and allow air in or out of your home need seals. For instance, if an open fireplace isn’t in use it can cause draughts and should be shut off. Property managers and landlords are responsible for ensuring that these draughts are stopped as far as possible.

You don’t require to block gaps or holes that are part of the building. For example, tiny gaps around windows and doors could be required to allow movement of the building as the home heats and cools, to allow them to be opened and closed rather than being stuck. We will examine the windows and doors as part of an Healthy Homes assessment of your rental property.

Get the complete information to the Healthy Homes draught stopping requirements.

Adequate heaters are important for healthy homes

Heating Plimmerton

Plimmerton rental properties need to have a stable heating source which can warm the main or largest living room to at least 18degC even on the winter coldest days. This is the minimum temperature indoors that is recommended by the World Health Organisation for people’s physical health and mental well-being.

The source of heat needs to be fixed (i.e. not portable) with at minimum 1.5 kW of heating capacity, and meet the minimum heating capacity needed in the living area. A Heating Assessment Tool can be used to check if the existing fixed heater(s) are adequate or if you’ll require to top up by adding a second heater. Open fires as well as unflued combustion heaters, such as small portable LPG bottle heaters aren’t considered to be acceptable heating options for Healthy Homes Standard. Healthy Homes Standard.

If the heating you provide is an electric heater or heat pump it needs to have an thermostat. This will make your heating more consistent and effective. For the majority of houses, bigger fixed heating systems such as heat pumps, wood burners pellet burners, flued gas heaters are necessary. However, in certain instances like small apartments the smaller fixed electric heater might be enough.

If your living space already has a permanent heating source such as heat pumps, it might just need an update to be able to meet the standards. Some types of heaters can’t be utilised to meet the standard since they’re either expensive, inefficient or unsafe to operate.

See the full details regarding the Healthy Homes heating requirements.

Ventilation Plimmerton

Every living space in a rental property has to have at least one opening doors or windows to provide natural ventilation. Furthermore, moist areas such as kitchens and bathrooms should be equipped with an externally vented extractor fan that can remove moisture.

A ventilation quality is all about recognising how dry air will be easier to heat and an apartment that is well-ventilated will be less prone to developing mould and damp.

Bedrooms, living spaces, kitchens and dining rooms are considered liveable spaces. Connecting spaces like the hallway are not considered liveable and therefore are not need an opening window or door.

Each window, door , or skylight needs to be able of opening to the outside, and stay set in an opening position to allow to circulate fresh air as well as air flow.

All kitchens and bathrooms, and every other room of your house that houses a bath, shower cooker or any other water-generating appliance will require suitable extractor fans that are vented to the outdoors. The Healthy Homes Assessment service will verify that there is enough ventilation in each livable space with the right extractor fan in high moisture areas.

See the full details of this Healthy Homes ventilation standard.

A warm dry house is a healthy house

Insulation Plimmerton

Insulation for underfloor and ceilings is required for all rent homes as of July 1st, 2019. All landlords and property managers must make sure the insulation meets standards that are in line with the latest standard. In some instances, an existing insulation on the ceiling or in the sub floor space might require to be added or replaced.

A properly insulated home will reduce the risk of condensation and lessen the likelihood of mould and damp, and will also make more easy for the home to hold the heat.

Insulation needs to be in compliance with the R-values for your area

The "R" signifies thermal resistance and is a gauge of how well insulation can withstand heat flow. The greater the R-value, the higher the standard of insulation.

• Zone 1 - Auckland & Northland Ceiling R 2.9 in the underfloor, 1.3
• Zone 2 – the rest of North Island except Taupo and the Central Plateau – ceiling R 2.9 and floor R 1.3
• Zone 3 - North Island Taupo, Central Plateau and the entire South Island – ceiling R 3.3, underfloor R 1.3

Check out the complete details of this Healthy Homes insulation standard.

Plimmerton Moisture Ingress & Drainage

Keeping your rental property safe from dampness isn’t just about the inside it’s also about the outside. You must ensure there is somewhere for surface as well as groundwater to move and also stop it from getting into the building. When it is damp and moisture, it is often those concerns that you aren’t aware of that can cause a lot of trouble, causing damage to your investment and harming your tenant’s well-being.

Properties that are rented must have effective drainage for the removal of rainwater, storm water and groundwater, with the proper outfall or runoff. Making sure the water has a proper place to go, and also that it isn’t allowed to remain beneath buildings is an essential part of making sure your property is dry.

In addition to a drainage system to avoid moisture from entering, if your apartment has an enclosed gap between the floor and surface, a ground moisture barrier must be constructed if it’s reasonably practicable to install it.

Ground moisture barriers are typically a sheet of polythene that is placed over the ground to stop any moisture from the ground from getting into the property. It also helps prevent from causing damage to the flooring insulation.

Check out the complete details of the Healthy Homes moisture ingress and drainage quality.

Is your rental a Healthy Home?

Rental Property Home Assessments Plimmerton

The areas of rental property that are affected with Health Homes Standards. Healthy Homes Standards in Plimmerton include each:

• Living Rooms
• Bedrooms
• Dining Rooms
• Bathroom
• Kitchen
• Laundry

Checking Your Healthy Home?

Home Assessments Plimmerton for Rental Properties

There are a myriad of things to be able to examine when conducting the home review to determine if your rental property meets the minimal requirements of the Healthy Homes Standards. The most common are:

• Does the subfloor space covered in insulation and is there a ground waterproofing barrier?
• Do you think the ceiling insulation require replacement or topping?
• Do you think the heating system has sufficient capacity?
• Does the water flow properly and is there stopping of draughts?
• Does the house has enough ventilation, including extractor fans?

The repercussions of not having a Healthy home in relation to lawful Residential Tenancies Act and consequently being on the wrong side of an ruling on tenancy services ruling can have a significant impact for property owners and landlords. For professional assistance, get in touch now and schedule your rental properties house evaluation.